Review: Sneaking Around with the Player by Rebecca Jenshak

One thing about me? I love a sports romance. Maybe it’s the inner shy girl/theatre kid in me, but something about them is healing for my high school self. Add in the holidays and a snowy cabin? I’m in. I was excited by the synopsis of Sneaking Around with the Player and the adorable cover didn’t hurt. It’s an easy, breezy, fun Christmas novella for lovers of new adult romance. It’s open door but the very brief and mild spice, if that’s not your thing.

Synopsis:

“It was supposed to be a quick conversation with a cute boy at the airport while I dodged my ex and his new girlfriend.
We weren’t supposed to trade numbers.
He wasn’t supposed to be a football player.
And I definitely wasn’t supposed to fall for him since he’s attending a college a thousand miles away.
I saw past his jersey. And he saw past my last name.
Now it’s semester break, and by some Christmas miracle, he’s going to be close. So close.
I want to meet him again, but there’s just one problem.
My older brother can’t, under any circumstances, find out I’m dating his rival.” —Goodreads

What I Liked:

  1. The Setting—I love a mountain setting! I think I’ll enjoy Snowed in with the Player more because it takes place over a shorter amount of time and spends more time at the cabin!

  2. The Tropes—I’ve read tons of brother’s best friend books, but I haven’t read any family rivalry books! I really liked this one and thought the conflict was stronger. I’ll definitely seek this trope out more!

  3. The Meet Cute—I love airports. I love an airport meet cute!

What Didn’t Work:

  1. Insta-lovey—Since this is a novella, there isn’t as much time for development. But I did like how it showed that the friendship blossomed through conversation. I think today it’s such an important aspect for young people to develope!

  2. Remember it’s a Novella—I didn’t go in knowing it was on the shorter side which is a reader error on my part. There’s nothing wrong with a novella! Just wanted to hammer the point home!

Character Authenticity: 3/5 Spice Rating: 0.5/5 Overall Rating: 4/5

Content Warnings: N/A